Reasons to believe the Bible

A. The Bible is scientifically accurate here a just a few things it describes: 1. Radioactive decay (2 eter !:1"# 2. $ydrologic cycles ( s.1!%:&' (c.1:&' )ob !*:2&+2,# !. At-os.heric jet strea-s ((cc. 1:*# /. 0louds and condensation ()ob 2*:1' !&:11# %. (arth2s s.herical sha.e (3sa. /":22# *. The e4.ansion of the universe ()ob 2*:&# &. The i-.ossibility of nu-bering the stars ()er. !!:22# 1. (arth2s foundation hung on nothing ()ob 2*:&# ,. That air has weight ()ob 21:2%# 1". $ydrother-ic vents (5en. &:11' )ob. !1:1*# 11. That li6e begets li6e a biological law (5en. 1:11+12' 21' 2%# 12. The che-ical co-.osition of 7flesh8 the sa-e co-.ounds other -atter consists of described as dust (5en. 2:&' !:1,# 1!. That blood is vitally i-.ortant for life (9ev. 1&:11# 1/. That one event could be seen across the world an i-.ossibility then now .ossible through T: (;t. 2/:!"' Rev. 11:,+11# B. The Bible is .ro.hetically accurate (here are a few e4a-.les there are thousands -ore#. 1. There are over !!" .ro.hesies concerning the co-ing ;essiah. )esus of <a=areth fulfilled' to the letter' every one of these .ro.hesies to this date (A prophesy was a direct message from God to the people concerning future events. These messages were given through prophets. All Biblical prophesies and prophets are from Jewish history. Capital punishment by stoning was the penalty for any prophet whose prophesies were not 100 true and fulfilled.! 2. The following .robabilities are ta6en fro- eter >toner in >cience >.ea6s. a. By using the -odern science of .robability in reference to eight .ro.hesies' we find the chance that any -an -ight have lived down to the .resent ti-e and fulfilled all eight .ro.hesies is one chance in 1""'"""'"""'"""'"""'""" or 1" to the 1&th .ower. b. 3f one -an fulfilled /1 .ro.hesies' it would be one chance in 1" to the 1%&th .ower. ?ith !!" .ro.hesies' it is one chance in 1" to the 1"11st .ower. /. 3llustration by >toner: 73f we would ta6e 1" to the 1&th silver dollars and lay the- on the face of Te4as they would cover the state two feet dee.. <ow -ar6 one of these silver dollars and thoroughly -i4 the whole -ess state+wide. Then blindfold a -an and tell hi- that he can travel as far as he wished' but he -ust .ic6 u. one silver dollar and say that it is the right one. ?hat chance would he have of getting the right one@ )ust the sa-e chance that the .ro.hets would have had of writing these eight .ro.hesies and the- all co-ing true in any one -an' .roviding they wrote the- in their own wisdo-.8

%. >o-e (4a-.les: ro.hesy Aulfill-ent l. Ty.e of Birth 3saiah &:1/ ;att. 1:11+2! 2. Birth.lace ;icah %:2 9u6e 2:/' *+& !. ur.ose of $is Beath 3saiah %!:/+* 1 eter 2:2/ /. Beat and >.it on 3saiah %":* ;att. 2*:*&' 2&:2,+!" %. ierced Through $ands and Aeet sal-s 22:1* )ohn 2":2& *. 0rucified with Thieves 3saiah %!:12 ;att. 2&:!1 &. Resurrection sal-s 1*:,+1" Acts 2:!1 1. Ascension sal-s *1:11 Acts 1:, CCDthers include: a s.ecific lineage fro- Abraha- to 3saac to )acob to )udah to Bavid' being betrayed by a friend to death for !" .ieces of silver' having no bones bro6en' having his clothes ga-bled for at death' having his side .ierced on his death' the sun going dar6 at his death and raising $i-self fro- the dead ! days later. 0. The Bible is historically accurate' real .eo.le' .laces and events corroborated by archeology (here are just a cou.le of e4a-.les#. 1. $itites critics conde-ned the Bible2s descri.tion of this grou.E archeological digs have since .roven the e4istence of these .eo.le. 2. 0aesar Agustus2 census around the ti-e of 0hrist2s birth (9u6e 2:1#. B. The Bible2s authors agree (over /" authors of different bac6grounds' ti-es' social status' languages and ethnic grou.s#. (. Bible is te4tually accurate (here is a Fuic6 co-.arison with $o-er2s 3lliad the ne4t closest te4tually accurate -anuscri.t#. 1. The <T has co.ies fro- AB 12% (G2%+&" years after written#' The 3liad2s earliest co.y is fro- /"" B0 (%"" years after written#. 2. <T has 2/'""" early co.ies (G2"" yrs# vs. 3liad2s */!.

"ou may choose at the end of your investigative processes of the #ew Testament to say$ %& choose not to believe it.' But you may not reserve the right to say$ %Because there is not enough evidence to believe it.' ( )imon Greely * +amed ,aw -rofessor$ .arvard ,aw )chool.